The Florida Senate

481.209  Examinations.--

(1)  A person desiring to be licensed as a registered architect shall apply to the department to take the licensure examination. The department shall administer the licensure examination for architects to each applicant who the board certifies:

(a)  Has completed the application form and remitted a nonrefundable application fee and an examination fee which is refundable if the applicant is found to be ineligible to take the examination;

(b)

1.  Has successfully completed all architectural curriculum courses required by and is a graduate of a school or college of architecture accredited by the National Architectural Accreditation Board; or

2.  Is a graduate of an approved architectural curriculum, evidenced by a degree from an unaccredited school or college of architecture approved by the board. The board shall adopt rules providing for the review and approval of unaccredited schools and colleges of architecture and courses of architectural study based on a review and inspection by the board of the curriculum of accredited schools and colleges of architecture in the United States, including those schools and colleges accredited by the National Architectural Accreditation Board; and

(c)  Has completed, prior to examination, 1 year of the internship experience required by s. 481.211(1).

(2)  A person desiring to be licensed as a registered interior designer shall apply to the department for licensure. The department shall administer the licensure examination for interior designers to each applicant who has completed the application form and remitted the application and examination fees specified in s. 481.207 and who the board certifies:

(a)  Is a graduate from an interior design program of 5 years or more and has completed 1 year of diversified interior design experience;

(b)  Is a graduate from an interior design program of 4 years or more and has completed 2 years of diversified interior design experience;

(c)  Has completed at least 3 years in an interior design curriculum and has completed 3 years of diversified interior design experience;

(d)  Is a graduate from an interior design program of at least 2 years and has completed 4 years of diversified interior design experience; or

(e)  Has completed 6 years of diversified interior design experience, provided that at least 4 years were accumulated prior to October 1, 1994. A person applying under this paragraph must make application prior to April 30, 1998, and may, in lieu of passage of the examination required by this subsection, substitute passage of any of the following examinations: a National Council of Interior Design Qualifications examination, an American Institute of Design examination, the building and barrier-free codes section of the national examination as prepared by the National Council of Interior Design Qualifications, or any other examination approved by the board.

Subsequent to October 1, 2000, for the purpose of having the educational qualification required under this subsection accepted by the board, the applicant must complete his or her education at a program, school, or college of interior design whose curriculum has been approved by the board as of the time of completion. Subsequent to October 1, 2003, all of the required amount of educational credits shall have been obtained in a program, school, or college of interior design whose curriculum has been approved by the board, as of the time each educational credit is gained. The board shall adopt rules providing for the review and approval of programs, schools, and colleges of interior design and courses of interior design study based on a review and inspection by the board of the curriculum of programs, schools, and colleges of interior design in the United States, including those programs, schools, and colleges accredited by the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research. The board shall adopt rules providing for the review and approval of diversified interior design experience required by this subsection.

History.--ss. 5, 19, ch. 79-273; s. 357, ch. 81-259; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 7, 23, 24, ch. 88-383; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 300, ch. 94-119; s. 4, ch. 95-389; s. 5, ch. 96-309.